


Betrayal

by Caseycuervo



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-10-12
Packaged: 2017-12-27 20:21:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caseycuervo/pseuds/Caseycuervo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a drunken stupor, Duo's inner demon, Shinigami, consumes him and takes advantage of his best friend. One night will ruin their trust, friendship forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing AC

Betrayal

Trowa's birthday had been a drunken ball. Not literally a ball, just a few close friends and Catherine, whom traveled all the way from L3 to be with her brother on his self appointed birthday. Quatre planned the surprise party, and supplied the booze that got everyone wasted. Heero in particular had hit the bottle hard. Such a friendly atmosphere, and good trust worthy people around, he let himself loose. By the end of the night, he kissed his girlfriend, Relena, goodnight and Duo took him home to his apartment.

Duo didn't mind, though he was drunk as well, and probably shouldn't have driven, but Heero only lived three blocks from his own place. Heero was definitely not driving anywhere, and though Quatre offered to supply them both with a paid taxi, Duo refused and offered to take their friend home with him.

Thanks to the alcohol, Heero had acted out of sorts in a good way. He was friendly, funny, smiling, and overall happy. His lowered inhibitions lowered even more as he drank more and more champagne. In the morning, he wouldn't remember leaving, or the ride to his apartment, just his worst unfathomable nightmare.

As Duo drove to Heero's apartment, he focused only on the road, making sure not to sway or swerve. Heero passed out in the passenger's seat, and by the time they reached his place, Duo had to lug him up three flights of stairs to his door. Once inside, Duo plopped Heero down on his bed, the man still unconscious from his heavy drinking.

/I shouldn't leave him fully dressed./ thought the braided man. He had no ill intentions as he removed Heero's shoes and socks. Unbuttoning and removing the half Japanese mans green shirt, Duo marveled at the muscles revealed underneath, and shivered. He stepped back from the bed and wondered if it would be appropriate to remove Heero's black slacks. He had never undressed his best friend like this. Sure he had done it in the midst of a battle, a mission, but only to attend a vital wound.

/He'll be more comfortable in his underwear./ he justified. Nimbly undoing Heero's pants, he yanked them off by the ankles, and then Heero was fully, comatosely nude on the double size bed in front of him.

Duo gasped as his eyes grazed over Heero's naked body. The senseless man was made of tight, capable of being steel, taut muscles. He had graced even more at the approximate age of twenty-three into a beautiful man.

His mouth waters as his eyes linger on the still form of his best friend. Those former years of crushing and lusting after an unattainable comrade coming forth in his own drunkenness.

Before he can stop himself, Duo runs the back of his left index finger along the inside of Heero's thigh. The flesh goosebumps as Heero exhales a heavy sigh. The immobile mans bare cock twitches in an excited state, and Duo finds himself in a horrible conundrum. His righteous mind tells him to stop as that evil, dark, inhuman side tells him to keep going. The side of himself that he's dubbed "Shinigami" tells him to touch his best, most loyal friend and Preventer partner, more.

Duo attempts to mentally fight off his inner demon, twisting his braid while his greatest temptation lies provocatively in front of his violet eyes. His dark side, the one that enjoys killing, loves the sight and smell of blood, and lusts after many things he knows he shouldn't do, can't have, wins. Duo runs the back of his knuckles against the prone mans testicles and half aroused penis.

Heero's thighs tense as he inhales sharply again, head lulls to his shoulder, unknown to the danger that's around his body. He dreams nothing in his blacked out state, only feels.

Duo allows his hand to cup, rub, and molest the genitals of his best friend until the man is fully aroused, moaning, panting, and twitching in his sleep.

He had thought his long crush and lust was long gone. At seventeen he had given up on the "perfect soldier" for a lover, and dated Hilde. She had demanded Duo not to see Heero for a while when he told her of his affection for the other man. They went four months without communication, much to Heero's dismay. He didn't know why, and Duo never told him the reasons behind his distance, but when Hilde got over the matter, he returned to Heero's life. And Duo believed his affection for the deep blue-eyed boy had been laid to rest.

A year and a half ago, Duo and Hilde mutually broke up and the violet eyed man dated both men and women. He didn't even think of Heero in a sexual way anymore, or so he thought. Unfortunately for him, his endearment for zero one bridged both of his personalities, the demon and the loving joker, and when finally faced with the opportunity to physically touch his best friend, he caved.

Duo allows his hands to roam all over Heero until his own erection demands, begs for attention. He begins by stoking himself over his greatest fantasy, but all too soon he wants more. Pulling Heero's head to the edge of the bed by the scruff of his chocolate mane, he pries the unconscious mans mouth open with his thumb.

Rubbing the head of his hard cock against those soft lips he murmurs, "I'm sorry," and pushes into that luscious mouth. Thrusting slowly, and with only an inch or two in that magnificent mouth, Duo groans loudly. His mind races with the fact that he's orally fucking his partner while the man is unable to stop him, and that it feels goddamn amazing.

/I can't do this to him!/ his good, virtuous mind supplies, but the darkness succeeded as he pulls out, lifts Heero under both arms and pushes him to lay on the bed completely. Legs no longer dangling off the edge, he pushes Heero's thighs open. Duo wets his fingers with saliva and pushes a digit into Heero's anus, and watches.

For a terrified moment, he thinks the half Japanese man might wake, his eyebrows pinch as his mouths opens to allow a soft whimper to escape. But those blue eyes never open. Feeling secure, Duo finger fucks Heero's virgin hole until he can push in another digit.

Scissoring his best friend, Duo watches Heero's face for any signs of coming to, but the victim hardly stirs. Adding a third finger, Duo continues his penetration while his other hand teases Heero's nipples, cock, and balls.

/I shouldn't be doing this! This is Heero for fucks sake!/ he argues with himself, but he can't stop. Not now. He's too far gone.

Pulling his digits from Heero's rectum, he debates on what to do next. Heero hasn't woken up, /maybe he won't if you fuck him/ Shinigami answers in his head. /No, I can't do that.../ Duo fights. /He may never know./

And before the sane part of his brain can rebut, the demon triumphs. He's slathered saliva on his dick and is pushing into that forbidden, illegal, territory.

Heero's whole body tenses beneath him as he gives the other man no reprieve to deny him. Those blue eyes open, and for a second Duo believes he's done for. But all he can see are the whites of Heero's eyes before they close again. He submerges himself into his best friend with a violent shove and moans loudly. /Oh fuck, he feels so good./ both of his personalities tell him.

"I'm sorry!" Duo cries softly while his hips begin to thrust unforgivably violently into the unconscious man beneath him.

Palms placed on the bed beside Heero's face, Duo thrusts, humps, and ravages the latent man under him.

Duo rarely lets his lips seek Heero's as he rapes him. He keeps close watch on the face of the man he loves, lusts after, as he continues his unforgivable deed.

The half japanese mans brow pinches and his mouth frowns. Heero's eyes flutter open as Duo persistently thrusts into his passage.

"Nnn, what's ... Going...on?" The half Japanese man mutters. The braided man says nothing as he buries his face in the crock of Heero's neck and shoulder, keeping up his hips brutal movement.

Heero awakes to a strange sensation in his extremities, and sees Duo above him, grunting. He feels the pain of insufficient lubricated penetration.

Suddenly, he understands what's happening to him and tries vainly to stop it.

"Duo! St-stop!" He cries, pushing Duo's shoulders.

/Run and hide, but never tell a lie./ Duo's mind tells him. But he's too far gone for that. "You wanted me to do this," he lies while pumping into the body under him.

"N-no, we ha-have to sto-op" Heero stammers, but his best friend keeps moving within him.

Duo covers Heero's mouth with his hand, "Shhh, it's okay!" He pleads, trying to convince Heero and himself.

Heero pushes at Duo's chest, and tries to kick him off. But this is his best friend! He doesn't want to hurt Duo, but he's hurting him.

Heero's whole body clenches, Duo delights in it as Heero whimpers behind his hand, "St-stop, you're hurting me!"

"We're almost done," Duo placates as he grasps the other mans dick and jerks him.

After futilely struggling and fighting, Heero comes across his stomach, clenching around Duo's cock inside him. Squeezing his eyes shut, gasping, Heero feels the warm sensation of Duo ejaculating inside him. Clutching the flesh above him and the braid, Heero grits his teeth as hot fluid fills him.

Heero half heartedly embraces Duo as he collapses on top of him, unsure of what just happened, he holds Duo, but there's something wrong beside the fact that he just cheated on his girlfriend with his best friend. How did they get here? Did he really ask for this? Does this mean he's gay? Does he want to be with Duo more than Relena? Something just didn't feel right...he'll have to check his security videos...

Duo pulls away from him, and out of him too suddenly for comfort. Heero checks the sheets for embarrassing spillage as Duo hikes up his pants.

Fully dressed, Duo turns to Heero. "I had fun tonight," he lies again and leaves the room. It is a lie, he didn't have fun. He just took advantage of the person he loved most. He leaves the apartment. Drives away. /What have I done?/ he asks himself.

Heero sits upright on his bed in utter disbelief as he watches the departure of his best friend. His body trembles, mind still fuzzy from all the alcohol, a sickening awareness fills his stomach.

Left feeling unsure, vulnerable, and depressed, Heero boots up his laptop. He has video surveillance in each room of his apartment. He'll find out what happened...

-Three Months Later-

All appeared fine on the surface between Heero and Duo. They interacted together in their group and at work when necessary, but their relationship was far from good. Duo didn't know that Heero had video cameras in his apartment, didn't know he had watched the footage of himself raping Heero, didn't know Heero's seething hatred from him. He believed that Heero had barely remember what happened when he woke up, and wasn't comfortable with it, which was why he was distant towards him.

Heero would only talk to Duo when someone else was around, and never looked him in the eye anymore. If he went to the blue-eyed man for something, Heero would ignore his presence, and Duo didn't have it in him to pester the other man for an answer like he used to.

Wrought with guilt, Duo went home every night on the verge of tears. He could only blame Heero's distances and cold demeanor on himself. Drowning himself in a bottle each night was his only fruitless effort to avoid the nightmares of that fateful night. He still hardly understood what came over him that night.

The others noticed the change between them. Saw Duo's charismatic personality dwindle, the life flickering lowly in his sad eyes. Observed Heero repress and reserve his emotions, expressions, until he was virtually the same person they had met at fifteen. They each asked about it, but never received a straight truthful answer. Quatre in particular could feel deeper emotions not displayed outright. He felt Heero's betrayal, anger, and grief. He sensed Duo's guilt, depression, and self loathing.

Relena also witnessed a dramatic change in Heero. They had only been dating for six months before Trowa's birthday, and over night the half Japanese man reverted to the enigmatic, lost boy he once was. Heero wouldn't open up to her, wouldn't touch her, wouldn't go out anymore. They fought all the time, or more, she fought as he just stared blankly at her. She couldn't handle it, she had too many responsibilities that required her attention. She left him.

Word spread fast of Heero's and Relena's failed relationship, lasting only nine months. When Duo heard about it, in a round about way, he knew it was his fault.

Mustering up all his courage, Duo went to seek Heero out on their lunch break. The stoic man never ate in the cafeteria with him, Trowa, or Wufei anymore. He stealthy stalked Heero to elevator, which the dark brown-haired man took all the way up, instead of down to the parking garage. Minutes later, Duo walked out onto the roof and found Heero sitting there facing away from him.

Heero sensed Duo's presence behind him, but refused to acknowledge the man. Clenching his fist, Heero closed his eyes and mentally willed Duo away.

"So...this is where you go for lunch, eh?" Duo asked chuckling nervously. "You ain't got any food," he pointed out.

Shuffling his feet, Duo gazed up at the sky, waiting for Heero to say something, knowing he wouldn't. "I heard about you and Relena...you wanna talk about it?"

Still Heero said nothing. Scratching the back of his neck beneath his braid, Duo continued rambling, "Kinda weird that we haven't had a mission together lately, huh?...I mean, my last mission with Fei shoulda been me and you. Ya know? Cuz it was more geared to our combined skills -"

"I requested to Une that we don't get assigned to the same missions anymore. You better hope we never get paired up ever again," Heero seethed in a low growl.

The blood in Duo's veins froze, body tensed, and his heart skipped a beat at Heero's threatening tone. "Whadya mean?"

Heero snorted. "You obviously don't know that I have had surveillance cameras in each room of my apartment since the end of the war."

Duo felt his heart and stomach plummet through the floor. "...oh."

Standing up and spinning around, Heero yelled, "Yeah! Oh! I fucking know what yo-you did to me!"

Duo stood stunned as Heero glared into him, the hate and disbelief shone clear in those dark blue eyes.

"I-I'm sor-"

Heero interjected, "Don't! Don't you dare say that to me! You've destroyed ev-everything!"

Duo reached out to grasp Heero. "Please, Heero let me -" a hard fist connected with his right cheekbone, sending him flying to the ground.

"No!" Heero bellowed. "You don't get to explain anything! You were the one...you were," Heero paused as a sob escaped his throat, eyes filling with tears. "You were the one I trusted most," the half Japanese man choked out.

Heero glared down at the man sprawled on the floor. "I hate you," Heero whispers viciously. "Watch your back...because I won't do it anymore."


	2. Chapter 2

Fuck, Heero knew. He knew what had happened that night. In a shame induced panic, Duo left the Preventer agency. Making an urgent call to his commander, the braided man requested to be transferred to the L-2 branch and that whether she transferred him or not, he was leaving and moving there tonight. At his apartment, he packed anything and everything he could take, and would leave what he couldn't for his landlord to sell.

Back at Head Quarters, Trowa ran through the hall upon hearing frightened gasps and calls from people to come help. Loud crashes echoed through the corridors, which led the tall uni-bang man to his comrades' office. Heero was throwing and kicking everything that he could, and punched his desk until it splintered and cracked under his mighty brutal force. Shocked, Trowa didn't know what to do. He had never seen Heero fly into a rage like this, and didn't know what could cause this kind of fury. Standing in the doorway, Trowa ordered someone to get Agent Chang, he was going to need help if he was going to stop the incredible force that was Heero Yuy. He continued to watch as Heero destroyed his office, screaming in frustration but not saying anything.

"What the hell is going on?" Wufei asked as he approached Trowa. Looking into Heero's office, the Chinese man glared in confusion and fright at the sight of his friend as the man continued to go on a rampage in his office.

"We have to stop him," Trowa muttered, unsure of how to start.

Stalking into his office, Wufei and Trowa grabbed at Heero's arms, but the Japanese mans superior strength wrenched them off. They persisted, grappling with their distraught friend, yelling and asking him what was wrong, but Heero only yelled out in anguish. His confrontation with Duo had sent him over an edge, one he had been trying to stay away from since that night. Finally wrestling Heero down, the two others pinned him to the floor and their shock turned to astonishment as the blue-eyed man burst into sobs and tears. Never having witnessed this range of emotion come their stoic friend, Trowa and Wufei stared at each other, concern layered their features.

"Go call Quatre, and find Duo too," Wufei ordered Trowa. The green-eyed man bolted from the room as Wufei stroked Heero's trembling shoulders, unsure of what else he should do.

Quatre had been easy to get a hold of, but Trowa couldn't find Duo anywhere. Figuring that he wasn't in HQ, Trowa called Quatre back and told him to go to Duo's apartment to find him.

An earnest knock sounded at his front door, and upon opening it, Duo was face to face with a terrified Quatre.

"We need to go to HQ, NOW! Heero had some sort of melt down and destroyed his office," Quatre informed and began to walk away. When he noticed Duo didn't follow, he turned and demanded, "Let's go, Duo! He needs us!"

"No," Duo shook his head, "He needs you guys, not me."

"How can you say that? He's your best friend. Or was. Whatever has been going on with you guys over the last few months has to stop. Now lets go!"

"You don't get it man," Duo argued. "This is my fault."

"How?"

Duo hesitated. "I did something…unforgivable."

"Nothings unforgivable, Duo," Quatre placated.

"I did something really bad, Q."

The blond man could see the shame and feel the hurt wafting of his violet-eyed friend. "What did you do?"

Staring at the floor between them, Duo confessed, "It was after Tro's birthday…when I took him home…he was unconscious the whole time and when I got him to bed, I undressed him…"

"Okay?"

"And then I did stuff to him."

A horrifying realization dawned on Quatre and he asked angrily, eyes glaring, hands clenching into fists, "What did you do?"

Duo whispered, "I had sex with him."

"You raped him," Quatre clarified.

"Yeah, I don't kn-" his statement was cut short by a vicious punch to the mouth, making him land on the floor for the second time that day. "Quatre please-"

"FUCK YOU! Fuck you, you sick son of a bitch! What the fuck is the matter with you?" the blond screamed as his rage consumed him. He began kicking the braided man on the floor, screaming obscenities. Running out of energy, Quatre left Duo's apartment disgusted. He never wanted to see the man ever again. Picking himself off the floor, Duo resumed his pack sorely. Finished, he took three duffel bags with him to his car and left for the spaceport. Never in a million years did he think he'd be willingly moving back to the hell hole that was his home colony, but now he felt like that was the only place for a monster like him to live.

Arriving at HQ, Quatre found his friends seated in Une's office. Heero's eyes were red and swollen from crying, he still trembled as he wiped blood from his battered knuckles.

"What's going on?" Une asked the four of them.

"Could you please excuse us Une? We need to talk to Heero alone," Quatre requested. She nodded and vacated her office to allow them to sort out the issue on their own.

Kneeling in front of the shaking man, Quatre placed a gentle hand on Heero knee and spoke, "I spoke with Duo." Heero grimaced at the name, fresh tears filling his eyes. "He told me what he did to you." The tears trickled down Heero's checks and he covered his eyes to hide his anguish. "I'm so sorry, Heero. We're going to get you help." Heero didn't respond, just sat quivering in his chair.

The other two asked questions, wanting to know what their friend had done to Heero to make him act this way. Quatre asked Heero's permission to tell them and the Japanese man nodded, got up and left the office and HQ, not wanting to be there when his blond friend told his story for him.

"I'm going to kill him," Wufei seethed and leapt from his seated position. Trowa grabbed his arm. "I'm going to fucking kill him!" the Chinese man shouted, trying to free himself from his friends grasp.

After a long talk, the three of them decided they would confront Duo, and make it clear he was no longer welcome around them. But when they got to the braided man's apartment, they found he had left.

"Good riddance," Trowa murmured.

Soon after, they learned Duo had left for L-2, transferred to the Preventer branch there. Things were difficult for the first few months. Their group had been destroyed. Heero refused to get counseling, became more introverted than ever, and isolated himself from the others. On one mission in particular, Heero lost himself in a fog of depression and walked into the line of fire hoping to get shot and put out of his misery. Trowa pulled him out of danger at the last possible moment. After that the Japanese man was put on medical leave. Needing an escape, the blue-eyed man disappeared one night. His friends had no idea where he went, but he kept in contact through sporadic emails. They understood his need to be alone; to get away from everything that reminded him of their former friend, and unfortunately the three of them were inextricably tied to Duo's memory. So Heero disappeared, decided to go Japan and hide away in a secluded village and try to regroup himself.

The other three suffered as well. It became difficult for them to be around each other. Things weren't the same without the five of them, and though they hated Duo for what he had done, part of them missed their braided companion. Even Trowa's and Quatre's relationship struggled after that. They broke up and got back together a couple of times. Wanting to make it work, they went into couples counseling to figure out if their love could survive the destruction of their allied group.

On one particular mission, Wufei found himself paired with Agent Wind. Zechs had never understood what happened between Relena and Heero. It took so long for them to come around and be together and then it just ended. He had comforted his sister when she complained about Heero's withdrawnness, not understanding how he had completely changed over one night and refused to confide in her. Zechs blamed Heero for breaking his sisters heart. But soon after Duo's departure, rumors surfaced of a fall out between the braided man and his best friend. When he asked Wufei what had happened, the Chinese man told him the truth on the condition that he never tell Relena. After that, Zechs couldn't place the blame on Heero anymore, and Relena would be forever kept in the dark on what had happened to the man she loved.

After two years, Heero still hadn't come back, no one ever heard from Duo, and Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei were able to save their friendship.

For those two years, Duo lived on L-2. The first six months he was able to keep working for the Preventers, but since arriving there the braided man started drinking heavily. Unfortunately, drugs were all too easy to come by on the poorest colony in space, and Duo soon found himself with a strong addiction to cocaine. After failing a drug test he was relieved of duty and fired from the agency. Taking odd jobs, Duo made enough money to keep his shitty apartment and his drug and alcohol dependency going for a whole year. One drunken night, the violet-eyed man rammed his truck into another car, almost killing a mother and her three-year-old daughter. After that, he went to rehab to try and get his life together.

Through the twelve-step program, Duo renounced Shinigami and embraced God and Jesus back into his life. Letting go of that malicious side of him had been one of the hardest tasks he had ever done, but once gone, he felt freed and a giant weight lifted from him. Step eight had been his hardest and still uncompleted step. He attained forgiveness from the woman he had almost murdered in a drunken car accident, but he never tried to get in contact with his old friends. How could he? How could he ask forgiveness from them, and above all from Heero? It just didn't seem plausible or appropriate.

Six months clean and sober, Duo found himself leading a meeting of Narcotics Anonymous. As leader, he was supposed to share his story before asking the other people to share theirs. Looking around the horribly fluorescent-lit room, Duo appraised the people waiting for the meeting to begin. A large Latino woman, a young black guy who appeared to be strung out, a man in the back hiding his face with a ball cap, others with hoodies. The room was fairly full with a bunch of different people who were sober or trying to get there.

After the serenity prayer, Duo began the meeting with his story. "Hey everyone, I'm Duo and I'm an addict and an alcoholic."

"Hi Duo," everyone chimed.

The braided man proceeded to tell his story on how he became addicted to cocaine and booze, and how he had betrayed his best friend. "So I took advantage of the fact that he was unconscious and had sex with him. I raped my best friend and I've never asked to be forgiven for it. I know step eight is to amend all the things you've wronged but…how do you ask for that? I haven't even forgiven myself for it, and I don't expect him to. Or any of my old friends either for that matter. And I have to live with the fact that I destroyed the strongest friendship ties I've ever had and will probably ever had…" he continued to relay his story. Some of the people didn't seem at all phased by his story, violence was a common occurrence on L-2 and most of the people in the room had done something similar or worse in a drunken or drug induced state. Following his story, others shared their own until the hour long meeting came to a conclusion.

As leader, Duo waited until everyone had left before he gathered himself up to go back to his apartment. The man with the ball cap who hadn't spoken remained in the back of the room, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey man, meetings over," Duo sighed. The only response he got was the man removing his hat and brushing his brown hair out of his face. "Heero…" the violet eyed man whispered. Frozen on the spot, Duo's hands began to shake. If Heero wanted retribution, he wouldn't deny him.

"Duo," Heero stated appearing to be as equally nervous as his former comrade. "We need to talk."

Nodding his head, Duo sat down in the chair he had just vacated, and waited for Heero to begin. The Japanese man moved to sit closer, but still kept five feet between them. "I'm surprised you told them about me," Heero stated, though Duo hadn't mentioned him by name, Heero was still shocked that Duo had confessed to a room full of people. Silence passed over them for a few minutes, both unsure of what to say and Heero trying desperately to find the words he needed to speak.

"What are you doing here, Heero?" Duo asked in a soft voice.

Rubbing his face, Heero admitted, "You don't deserve it, but I'm here to tell you I've forgiven you."

Duo shook his head, not wanting to believe the words he was hearing.

"I need to," Heero continued, "So I can move on with my life."

A sob escaped Duo's throat. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"I know," Heero muttered, tears filling his own eyes.

They cried quietly together for a while, just letting go of two and half years worth of pain and sorrow. Wiping the tears from their faces, they began to talk about what they'd been doing over the past few years. Heero told Duo how he'd gone to Japan and had only moved back to Brussels a month ago. In Japan, Heero had finally conceded to therapy to help him heal. He also told Duo that hearing his story made forgiving him all more easier. Heero informed Duo of Wufei's and Trowa's support in his decision to let go. Quatre on the other hand, didn't think it would do any good.

Duo told Heero how he'd changed his life by returning to the faith he'd once lost, and how he'd been working in an orphanage and tried to help displaced and abandoned kids. They remained in the room for over an hour, becoming reacquainted slowly.

By the time he was ready to leave, Heero stood and told Duo that he should come and visit them sometime soon. They weren't the same without him. Duo shrugged noncommittally, and they shook hands as they said their goodbyes.

Alone, Duo allowed himself to cry again and found the strength to finally forgive himself.

Over three months, Duo was surprised that Heero decided to keep in contact via email, urging him to come back to see the others. Wufei and Trowa wanted to see him to let go of their own resentments, but Quatre still didn't want anything to do with him.

When he finally made the journey, Duo met up with his old friends on neutral territory. He wasn't surprised to know that Quatre wouldn't join them. Their gathering was an emotional experience. Duo reiterated his life's trials and tribulations after he had left. Trowa spoke of the troubles he and Quatre had gone through. Wufei told Duo about his wedding to Sally and how they were expecting the birth of their daughter soon. Heero had left the Preventers to become a fire fighter, opting to do civic duty that way than be sent on missions. He'd finally let go of that part of his life, no longer wanting that word and those tasks to dominate his life.

Duo again left Earth but made frequent trips back to see and be apart of the family he'd been kicked out of. On his fifth visit back, Quatre finally agreed to see him, alone. Their reunification had been awkward and mostly spent in silence. It would take a little while longer for the blond man to come around and accept that Duo was no longer a threat to any of them.

Wufei convinced the violet-eyed man to move back to Earth and take up a job at a struggling orphanage in Brussels. Finally, at twenty-eight, five years after the incident, all five ex-gundam pilots were living in the same city again, still putting the pieces back together. The wounds still there, but scarred over, they were healing together as a unity.

One night, the first time they were alone together since meeting on L-2, Heero clutched Duo by the shoulder and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I've missed you," he whispered in the man's ear. All fear and mistrust had finally faded and he no longer feared being close to the braided man.

Duo knew that though they'd rebuilt their friendship things hadn't been quiet the same, but it was getting there. Hugging Heero back, Duo murmured, "I missed you too."


End file.
